The Lebanese political-paramilitary group Hezbollah announced the election of Naim Kassem as its new leader following the death of Hassan Nasrallah and also of Hashem Safieddine, who appeared to be his main successor. Both died after Israeli airstrikes on different days, almost a month ago.
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Hezbollah explained in a statement that the Shura Council, its decision-making body, selected Kassem, who for more than three decades was Nasrallah's deputy, as the new secretary general. The group committed to continue with Nasrallah's policies "until victory is achieved."
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Who is Naim Kassem?
Kassem, 71, is one of the founders of the militia following the Israeli invasion of Lebanon in 1982 and has been acting as interim leader since Nasrallah's death on September 27. He has delivered several televised speeches promising that Hezbollah would continue to fight despite the setbacks suffered.
Born in 1953 in the city of Kfar Fila, in southern Lebanon, Kassem studied chemistry at the Lebanese University before working for several years as a teacher. At the same time, he pursued religious studies and was involved in the founding of the Lebanese Union of Muslim Students, an organization aimed at promoting religion.
In the 1970s, he joined the Movement of the Dispossessed, a political organization that advocated for greater representation of the historically marginalized and impoverished Lebanese Shiite community.
The group transformed into the Amal movement, one of the main armed groups in the Lebanese civil war between 1975 and 1990, and currently a powerful political party led by the Speaker of Parliament, Nabih Berri. Later on, Kassem joined the emerging Hezbollah, formed with support from Iran after Israel invaded Lebanon in 1982 and occupied the southern region of the country.
Since 1991, Kassem served as the deputy of the group, initially under the leadership of Nasrallah's predecessor, Abbas Mousawi, who was assassinated in 1992 in an Israeli helicopter attack.
Kassem has been sanctioned by the United States, which considers Hezbollah a terrorist group. His appointment was not a surprise, as he has long been the public face of the organization, giving interviews to local and foreign media.
In a televised speech earlier this month, Kassem, who holds the clerical title of sheikh, stated that Hezbollah's military capabilities remained intact after Nasrallah's assassination and warned Israelis that they will only suffer more as the clashes continue.
What did Israel say about Kassem's appointment?
A few hours after Kassem's appointment was announced, Israel's Defense Minister, Yoav Gallant, posted on X: "Temporary appointment. Not for long." A clear threat that Israel will go after Kassem, as it did before by assassinating senior officials of the group, such as Nasrallah and Safieddine.
Hezbollah began firing rockets into Israeli territory, prompting a response from its neighbor, after the surprise attack by Hamas from Gaza on October 7th of last year triggered the war in the Strip. Iran, which backs both militias, has also exchanged fire with Israel on two occasions since then.
Tensions with Hezbollah escalated last month when Israel launched a series of intense airstrikes and killed Nasrallah and most of the group’s top leaders. In addition, Israeli troops launched a ground invasion of the country in early October.